Christmas-mad pensioners spend £10,000 transforming their home into a sparkling winter wonderland with 2,500 lights and 300 Santas

When looking for a special Christmas lights show, the vast majority of us visit our local town centre. But the neighbours of pensioners Hilda and Harry Creaney need to look no further than the end of their drive.

The Christmas-mad pensioners have transformed their home into a dazzling winter wonderland - after spending £10,000 on festive decorations.

The outside of the couple's modest semi in Walsall, West Midlands, has been adorned with hundreds of lights.They have also decorated the inside of their home with a staggering 2,500 lights, 300 Santas and 100 snowmen.

Bright: The vast majority of us visit Christmas lights shows to get a festive treat. But the neighbours of Hilda and Harry Creaney need look no further than the end of their drive

Festive: The Christmas-mad pensioners have transformed their home into a dazzling winter wonderland - after spending £10,000 on festive decorations. Hilda and Harry Creaney are pictured in their lounge

Colourful: With more than 300 Santas, 100 snowmen, countless baubles and miles of tinsel, it is a grotto Father Christmas would be proud of

Celebration: Hilda and Harry Creaney are well-known in their local area for decorating the modest semi-detached house over the festive period

The 70-year-olds have spent three weeks each year since 1969 transforming their home into a festive grotto - even opening it up for local children to admire.

They use over 1,000 decorations - including snowmen, penguins, angels and elves - to make up the dazzling display that runs up an electricity bill of £500 each Christmas.

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Grandmother-of-three Hilda said: 'I'm an
electricians' nightmare but we've never had a blow-out yet. I love
Christmas and I love to see the children's faces when they see what
we've done here.

Packed: The couple have decorated the inside of their home with a staggering 2,500 lights, 300 Santas and 100 snowmen

Proud: The 70-year-olds have spent three weeks each year since 1969 transforming their home into a festive grotto - even opening it up for local children to admire

Pricey: The dazzling display runs up an electricity bill of £500 each Christmas

Happy: Grandmother-of-three Hilda said she loves to see the children's faces when they see the Christmas lights in her home

'When my children were young my daughters had learning disabilities so they couldn't really go out to play. So we used to have other kids into our house to play with them.

COUPLE'S CHRISTMAS BY NUMBERS

3Weeks to transform home

100 The number of snowmen

300 Amount of Santas inside house

500 How much Xmas electricity costs

1969 Year the couple started lights show

2,500 Number of Christmas lights inside

10,000 Amount spent on decorations

'So I started getting them to make paper chains and then they coloured in a drawing we had got them. It looked so nice I said it was a shame we couldn't hang it up.

'Then Harry came home with a box, glass and a strip light and we put the picture in there on display.

'It all started from there. We get people from all over coming to see them, next week we're having 140 children around to look at them.'

The house has become a landmark for
local children in their community and each year hundreds of letters to
Santa are sent to the home.

And the kind-hearted couple take time to reply to each one of the Yuletide letters.

Hilda,
a retired social work assistant, added: 'I get hundreds of letters in
the letter box, and I make sure I reply to all of them individually, and
that takes up most of my time over the holidays.

'I personalise each letter so the
kids are amazed when Santa knows their friends name or that they have a
dog. I tell them to keep their room tidy for their mum and how cold it
is in the north pole. It brings a bit of joy to the children's lives - and you can't put a price on that.'

Ambitious: The couple use more than 1,000 decorations - including snowmen, penguins, angels and elves

Well-known: The house has become a landmark for local children in their community and each year hundreds of letters to Santa are sent to the home

Kind-hearted: The couple take time to reply to each one of the Yuletide letters which they receive

Thoughtful: Hilda, a retired social work assistant, said she personalises each letter she receives

Enthusiastic: Hilda says her lights bring joy to children's lives, which she says you can't put a price on

Bold: Every inch of the couple's home is covered in decorations, including the ceiling

Lit up: Hilda and Harry must have the brightest house in Willenhall, West Midlands

Busy: Replying to all of the letters she receives takes up most of Hilda's time over the holidays

Delighted: Christmas is clearly one of the busiest times of the year for the happy couple